Senators Dump Saraki Impeachment Plan, Agree To Work Together

The warring senators of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and their opposition counterparts from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, reached a rapprochement, resolving to leave behind their grievances and work together in the interest of the country.

The lawmakers, who rose from a closed session that lasted for 20 minutes, reportedly resolved to put to rest the contentious political and parliamentary issues that had distracted them ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The meeting was said to have availed the lawmakers opportunity to express serious worries concerning recent political disturbances in the apex legislative chamber.

Although there was no official statement issued at the end of the closed-door session, a lawmaker who spoke to New Telegraph in confidence said that the warring lawmakers had agreed to henceforth drop threats and counter threats.

According to the lawmaker, “The Senate today (yesterday) reconvened after about two months’ recess and immediately went into closed session where all members had frank discussions about the future of the Eighth Senate as it goes into its last stage.

“The members agreed to give peace a chance and avoid allowing the red chamber of the federal legislature to get degenerated into an arena of conflict over partisan and personal issues.”

It was equally learnt that the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, promised the APC Caucus that national interest would continue to take precedence over any other consideration in the activities of the Senate.

It was further learnt that the senators resolved not to allow external forces and influences to cause disaffection, disturbances or crisis within the legislature.

The APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, had severally urged the senators of the ruling party to impeach Saraki as Senate President because of his defection to the PDP.

Against this backdrop, political pundits still believe that the threats for Saraki’s removal from office may not be totally ruled out as uncertainty and surprise remain the constant feature of politics.

There was purported move to sack Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekwerenadu, immediately on resumption of the National Assembly from its 11-week recess, following the defection of the Senate President from APC to PDP.

The Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe North) had, last Saturday in Abuja, in his address at the national convention of APC in Abuja, said that Saraki would not be allowed to continue to lead the Senate.

However, confirming the purported truce at the plenary yesterday, the Senate Leader not only carried out his function under the presiding authority of Saraki, but also led other APC senators through the Isle to have handshake with Saraki, Ekweremadu and other principal officers across party lines, when they converged in the Red Chamber for resumption meeting.

Bukola Saraki

Also, some obviously controversial and anti-Saraki APC senators like Ovie Omo-Agege (APC, Delta Central), who had vowed to impeach Saraki on resumption, attended the plenary without raising any point of order or making any move for the leadership to be changed.

In a related development, Senator Abiodun Olujimi (PDP, Ekiti South), has replaced Senator Godswill Akpabio as the minority leader of the Senate.

It was learnt that Senator Emmanuel Bwacha (PDP, Taraba South) is retaining his position as the deputy minority leader while Senator Emmanuel Paulker (PDP, Bayelsa) will replace Olujimi as the deputy minority whip of the Upper Chamber.

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